Clone Wars 2 Trilogy: The Emperor's Clone
by Serran Arcott
Summary: Chewbacca has died. Mara and Luke are married. The New Republic is in turmoil after the battle against the Yuuzhan Vong. But a new evil has arisen. And only one Jedi can stop him.
1. Chapter 1

This takes place afte the newest Star Wars book. It involves all characters and will be novel length when finished.  
Rated PG for some action. More later... heh  
  
The Clone Wars II  
Star Wars  
The Emperor's Clone  
  
Josh A. Litten  
  
  
  
Prologue  
  
"NO!" it said with a hot explosion of anger. The voice was harsh, but old and dry in its texture. "NONONO!!!"   
A tall figure in a dark cloak stepped over the bodies of his victims. The explosion of anger had not been controlled. The man grimaced. He must learn a better way to control his powers before he faced Skywalker again. He turned around as he strode through the doorway and turned off the holoprojector.   
"So," he thought, "that old buffoon has given in to New Republic aggression, has he? Very well...very well, indeed... It is time to pay a visit to my dear friend. No. On second thought, I won't. Thraawn is ready. He will come with me to our neighboring galaxy. Together, we will plan. The Empire will not lay dormant for long. And when it rises again in ten years, Pelleon will fall first, and in his place, my servant will rise. The joys of command are too much."  
He snickered and then laughed a high-pitched, deadly cackle as the servants around him put plugs in their ears and continued work. It was not unusual for their master to break off into insanity every once in a while. The galaxy did not stop for his mindlessness. There was work to be done.  
The man finished his insane laugh with a smile from ear to ear. He snapped at the nearest officer, "Plot a course to Station Beta. There, we will conduct our research openly, away from the Rebel's prying eyes. No one will stop us there, except perhaps my old nemesis. No, Shedao Shai wouldn't dare. Even as formidable as he may be, he wouldn't dare. No. Never."  
The young officer nodded to an even younger Ensign working at the main control station. "Yes sir," the Ensign replied nervously. He tapped a few buttons and regulated a switch, all the time making careful calculations and timed adjustments. The Emperor could be very cruel when angry. He looked up to see bodies being carried out of the Emperor's throne room. Very cruel...  
  
  
1  
  
Han Solo stood before a large monument made out of a strong marble with etchings of time worn into it. Many had stood before it, but none as much as Han. It stood as a symbol, but in Han's heart, it was a friend. It brought back memories of his old smuggling days. How grand it would be to have him back again. He sighed, as the thought grew heavy in his heart. He choked back a lump in his throat and whispered, "I'm back, buddy. I said I would be. Nobody's here but me right now, so we can talk. Yeah, I miss you, Chewbacca. It's been four, long years without you, pal. While they haven't been exactly boring, it hasn't been the same since you...since you..."  
"Died?"  
Han turned around and greeted his wife with a strong hug full of love. "Leia? How did you know I'd be here? I told you I was going..."  
"Ship shopping with Lando. Yes, I know. Lando just stopped by the house. He said you all were going ship shopping tomorrow. I figured the rest out easily. The kids will be wanting to see us at their graduation next week."  
By "the kids" she meant Jacen and Jaina. Anakin still needed training, and besides, Luke had seen an unusual amount of force energy coming from him, and he wanted to personally see to his advanced training. Who knows? Han began to curl his small beard around his finger thoughtfully. Maybe he'll be as powerful as that loony Emperor had said.  
Years ago, before Anakin was born, Emperor Palpatine had returned and sought out Luke and Leia. He had told Leia her child would be extremely powerful, and then he attempted to touch the child in the womb and was shocked by a great force. Several had tried to capture the child during his years of infancy, but everyone had failed. Fate? Or maybe it was something greater, the power of the Force.  
"What's wrong, my love?" Leia asked, crinkling her brow in a questioning glare.  
"It's just, we...I've never been able to really bond with the kids because of this and that. The Imperial War took forever to win. New super-weapons were always popping up, or maybe a lost fleet, or some new Imperial project. Anyway, it's never stopped. And after the peace finally came, the Yuuzhan Vong arrived and changed everything. Chewbacca, too..." He choked on a lump again and turned back to his wife. He had been staring at his old friend's grave again. "It's been too much. I just hope our kids have it better. Maybe their children won't leave so early. Perhaps they'll spend time together."  
Leia looked hurt. "We've been good for them. They wouldn't be the way they are if not for us. Luke..."  
"Raised them. He alone taught them the Force. He taught them morals; he bonded with them, not us. Don't you see, Leia?"  
"Han, what you don't see is that to continue the Jedi Order, they had to be taken early. They would have been trained earlier if not for my intervention. I told Luke we needed more time with them. That since we are their parents, we wanted more time. Luke says," Leia stopped. Luke's comment had stung without meaning to. Leia had tried several times to learn the ways of the Force, but her diplomatic duties always held her back. Even now, she represented the New Republic's Intelligence in the Senate. She had always been too busy. "Luke says in the Old Republic, children were taken before they were eight. Older children, teenagers, and especially adults are very hard to train. I guess I proved that."  
Her face lowered, and she bit her lip. Han pushed her chin up and came so close to her they touched noses. He gave her his most charming smile, as he spoke, "You didn't fail, Leia. You just use your jedi abilities differently. You use them to work out galactic problems. Just because you can't do as well with a lightsaber or haven't learned how to use telekinesis or any of those things doesn't mean you failed. Remember, I love you."  
Leia smiled slowly and uttered the traditional words, "I know."  
Han smiled again while he said, "Good, and tell the kids we'll be there, both of us. And to top it all off, we'll get there early to surprise them."  
"Jaina won't be there too early. Rogue Squadron's consuming all her time. She quit to finish training as a jedi, and then rejoined. Gavin welcomed her back very willingly. She should be there just before the graduation, though. She said very clearly, 'I wouldn't miss it for the galaxy!' Rogue Squadron's keeping her busy, alright. There's been a lot of pirating going on lately. They all seem to have one buyer in the end, too. Some guy named Sidious. Might be nothing. Then again, it could be something big. We'll know soon. Luke says he and Anakin are going to investigate it."  
Han's smile faded somewhat. Things like that almost always went big in the end. And he wasn't so sure the bounty hunters and Hutts had forgotten about him yet. For what Leia, he, and Luke did to Jabba on Tattoine, the Hutts on Nal Hutta had put a price on his head, and Leia's. And if Jaina was going up against space pirates... Well, they may have extended the family headhunters' price to the kids, too.  
Leia frowned at him again. "You still upset?"  
Han put on a false smile and slid his arm around his wife's waist. "No, nothing at all, your worship. Nothing at all."  
  
"Sticks? This is Rogue Leader. Bogeys coming in at point oh-four-nine-nine."  
"I got 'em, Rogue Leader," Jaina smiled. The other pilots of Roue Squadron called her 'Sticks' because not only did she have the X-Wing control stick, but she also had her lightsaber, which they jokingly referred to as a second stick.  
"Be careful, Sticks," Gavin, Rogue Leader, cautioned.   
The aforementioned bogeys were simply uglies, put together by a few good mechanics in the pirating business. Rogue Squadron was currently at Dantooine, where there was supposedly some new pirating gang meeting being held. But, meeting or not, they had been ambushed, and this called for another hostile act.   
Jaina pulled her stick sharply left and nearly grazed the tip of an X-Tie, an X-wing with the wings of Tie Fighters. She then looped around I the vacuum of space and pulled the trigger, all the time feeling the force pull her in the directions she had to go.   
She wished she wasn't there, fighting a war with the scum of the universe. She wanted to be at the Academy, where the graduation would be held in a week. She wanted to be with her family and friends. After seeing may wars, where people had violently and meaninglessly died, she had grown tired of the fight, but why was she worrying about that now? Hers, and her flight's lives were on the line.  
And what was she doing calling the space pirates and smugglers scum? Her own father had been a spice smuggler before he joined the rebellion. She had no right to judge others by a few actions, but she had to look at all. The ones to come, previous events, and the current battle all had to be considered.   
Suddenly, after she pulled out of the range of fire of yet another Tie-Wing, she saw something behind her. Some strange craft was tailing her! She tried to loop around, but she couldn't seem to move. Then she looked at her astromech's display screen. Only now did she hear its screams.   
A tractor beam had her held in place, but from where?   
"Sparky? What's going on? Who's got me locked?"  
The words appeared slowly as if Sparky himself couldn't believe the answer. She bet he couldn't. The small, strange craft had her locked, and it had just fired. She shuddered and readied for impact. The shots continued to come. Systems were failing all around her.  
"Sparky! Try to get me a corner loop! I don't care how much power the starboard engines have left, boost them and turn me around!" she screamed in anger.  
A soft, humble answered as he saw her view change rapidly. Now, fully facing the spacecraft she gasped. It was in the shape of a skull with bat wings giving it aerodynamic capabilities. The ship was obviously a two-man craft. The eyes each glimmered red and the nose spit out lasers. The mouth had to emit the missiles, or whatever this deadly ship held in its bowels. No larger than a Y-Wing in all, it seemed to glare back at her.  
"Sparky, how much power do we have left?" she muttered.  
The answer was not good. Nearly 84% of power was drained. She scrunched up her nose and concentrated on the force. Her mind flitted back to the coralskippers of the Yuuzhan Vong. There had to be a way to defeat it.   
"Sparky, reroute all power into two proton torpedoes. Fire on my command. 3-2-1-Fire!" she yelled. Everything went black as her power failed, but she saw her two torpedoes heading straight for each eye. She tilted her head back and laughed. It had worked!   
Then, out of the corner of her eye, she saw something very unusual. The ship had slowed down her torpedoes considerably. In fact, the immense power in them seemed to be drained by the open mouth of the skull. She stared, open-mouthed as two bright red sparks flew out of the open mouth, right toward her torps! What were they thinking? Were the skull pilots only trying to get rid of her torpedoes? Finally, she realized as the skull's missiles hit her torps, vaporizing them, and continued for her. She had failed, were the last words she thought as Sparky screamed and the missiles flashed right in front of her. Jaina Solo was beaten.  
  
Gavin Darklighter yelled into his Comm slowly, "Nine? How many are answering?"  
The answer wasn't what he wanted to hear; "Two from my flight are left, counting me. Two Flight isn't answering. Wait," she snapped, "Two from Two flight is answering. From what I could make out, Sticks, Lapard, and Rusiim are down. Wait," again she paused, "Lapard and Rusiim now in. They require assistance. They say Sticks is static and they don't see her."  
Gavin's heart sank. He whispered now, feeling like he had just eaten Rancor liver, "Tell them what's left of Rogue Flight will be there as soon as possible."  
"Too late, Lead," a calm, cool, feminine voice said, "Nine's hit, and she's not responding."  
"Rusiim, are you sure?"  
"Positive, Lead," Rusiim said, her voice never wavering. Half-humans from Siool never displayed any sorrow through verbal usage, which was quite unsettling. Gavin's heart sank more. He wondered if that were even possible. His two flight leaders were gone, and this was supposed to be less than a routine mission. He stared out at the stars and wondered what Tycho or Wedge would do. They had been great commanders and had led Rogue Squadron to a place of honor not to be challenged. Gavin felt as if he was doing a less than honorable job of running the squadron right now. Suddenly, he reached up to his eyes, beneath his helmet and felt tears. He knew then, something big was about to rock the galaxy.  
"Rogue Squadron, retreat," he choked on the last word, knowing this would cause the beginning of turmoil throughout not only the galaxy, but also his own heart.  
"Negative, Lead," He heard a metallic voice say without expression. That would be Lapard, a wookie who used a language transmitter to speak.  
"Why not, Four?"  
"Engines won't get me farther than Gargi, I expect. Those skull things got me very well."  
"Very well then, Squadron, basic retreat plan canceled. Go for Pacem Mountain on Dantooine. Find an outcropping and land. We'll meet at the peak," Again Gavin choked on his orders. It was hard to give up, and to lose half his Squadron, his special forces.  
"Meet you there, Lead."  
"Good-bye, sir."  
"Until we meet again Rogue Leader."  
"Good luck, Gavin."  
"Happy landings, old friend," Gavin smiled as he heard Five's voice loud and clear on the Intercom. She had been with him since he reached command. Forge's chuckling mood was a front, to hide her real feelings and make Gavin feel better.  
It had worked, slightly.  
He clicked the thrusters, pulled back on the stick, and pulled a short lever to his right, and prepared to retreat and land. Retreat. Rogue Squadron was retreating. They had failed.  
  
  
Any criticism is welcome! Tell me what you thought!  
  



	2. Chapter 2

2  
  
  
  
  
Vilmarh Grahrk put his hands behind his head and tilted his head back. The Inferno wasn't half as good as this ship. If only his co-pilot would do what he wanted...then maybe Villie would enjoy the vaping more. He lowered his arms and pressed the trigger harshly, smiling widely. He would torture the New Republic first just like this ship. He had the tiny X-Wing in his carefully directed tractor beam, always placed on larger ships, because the smaller ones had no room for the extremely large device. Or, at least it used to be extremely large, before Sidious, that is.   
He continually rammed his thick callused hand onto the trigger, sending several more volleys of shots at the snubfighter. He laughed deeply, enjoying the display of fireworks coming from the rapidly crumbling ship. The old relic was no match for his Skullbat.  
"Vilmarh, what are you doing? Take care of it! Use your missiles!"  
Villie's lips tightened around his teeth, sneering at his Comm, "Shut up, Cabros, plan working perfectly. Sides, I enjoy torturing thing. Take a rest, co-pilot. You just upset cause you no fight! Hahaha!"  
Villie heard a muttered response but paid it no mind. Instead, he turned back to the ship, which he had let rest for a minute. It was now facing him and had fired gigantic proton torpedoes. He had to act fast. Regulating dials, pulling levers, and calculating speeds as fast as only a trained mercenary could; he finished in a split second's time and pressed the trigger for his Slylliar Missiles.   
The four projectiles collided. Villie felt a surge of power run through his ship as the torps' power was fully sucked in. He laughed as he saw his missiles continue towards the X-Wing. Then he looked down and saw his sliced report of the snubfighter. Jaina Solo was flying it.  
Could it be? Was it Han's daughter, or maybe his wife, or his sister? No, the face was too young, though it showed that she had seen much in her time. It had to be his daughter. He pulled another lever hard and fast. The missiles' slowed as their power was sucked back into his ship. Only tiny dots hit Solo's ship, but they were enough to start a fire. He immediately pressed another button labeled, Anti-Fire Dioxide, and then pulled the trigger. There were faint life signs coming from the ship, but life all the same as the fire was put out.  
"Vilmarh Grahrk! What do you think you're doing! You're hired to kill these people, not save them!" Cabro's shouts came through as if he were in the cockpit with Villie.  
"Again, Cabros? You never learn, do you? Villie like working with you, even if now is bye-bye," he smiled.  
"What? What'd you say Villie? You little demon! Speak up you agent of...huh? No! You..." Cabros screams ended when Villie shut off his comm.   
"Computer, override commands from C2. Continue to filter in poison gas. Okay?"  
"Affirmative, sir. Also giving you total control of Skullbat Thirteen," the computer responded in its prissy droid voice.   
"Anymore life signs from C2?"  
"Negative, sir."  
"Good, eject remains. Head over to that X-Wing," Villie's lip curled. He hated having to repay favors, but saving Solo's life would take the guilt away.  
"Of course, sir. And, sir?"  
"What, silly droid?"  
"All other Republic fighters are eliminated or retreated."  
"Good good," His sneer immediately transformed into a smile. Maybe today wasn't as bad after all. Sidious would still pay well. That is, if he didn't find out Vilmarh Grahrk was aiding a Republic soldier to escape. Maybe Villie should not help Solo. Solo been stupid enough to become respectable anyway. Why should Villie help his daughter? Because Villie then no longer have guilt. Devaronian Mercenaries with guilt complexes no good.  
He latched onto the X-Wing and opened its cockpit. Carefully, he carried Solo out and placed her in the now empty and fresh C2, or what used to be Cabro's cockpit. He hesitated, then went down and got her astromech. He placed his space helmet over his head and attached the boosters and breathalizers to his suit, and finally he carried the droid to the holding case and dropped it as if it were something reviling and filthy.  
Vilmarh then retreated into his cockpit C1 and closed all hatches. He released the X-Wing and spun the ship so he faced the disguised base. He then gracefully piloted the Skullbat down to Dantooine and Pacem Mountain Base.  
  
Luke sat up instantly as a surge of panic ran through him. He felt through the force and found Mara, Anakin, Jacen, Leia, Han, and anyone else he could possibly think of that should be there. Quickly, he stood up and put on his Jedi robes. Taking a swift look at Mara, lying there so peaceful and calm, he quietly stepped out of the room.   
He waved his hand across a portrait of Ben Kenobi and the portrait swung around to reveal a corridor as narrow as the ledges of the Imperial Palace. Silently, he glided through the hidden hallway and pushed a small brick on the wall blocking his path. The wall immediately rushed upward into the ceiling.   
"Hello, Uncle," a voice said. It was a strong, biting voice, one that's words would cut into you without meaning to.  
"Anakin, what are you doing up now? You lead the graduation ceremony preparations! They begin tomorrow, you'll need your rest," Luke pleaded.  
"I was resting, using a Jedi Meditation skill I've picked up. I sensed you and decided to tell you that Mother and Father will be here in seventeen minutes. I should act surprised though, as Mother wants that to be the effect of her arrival," Anakin said calmly.  
He's changed so much. Luke thought. How can he be so strong and silent, so powerful, when a few years ago, he was my little nephew, a child?  
"Uncle, I was no child then, at least no more than I am now. What you see now, are the effects of the Yuuzhan Vong. I am battle-hardened. My life has been changed by the terror I've fought. My innocence has been lost. That is all," Anakin smiled up at his uncle.  
"Anakin, go to your room, get some human sleep, for you are human, whether you are a Jedi or not. Besides, I want to talk to your parents for a short while first," Luke smiled back at Anakin and then watched him head for the dormitories, all the time carefully blocking off his thoughts powerfully.  
Anakin was powerful himself, and in his own right. Luke smiled as he remembered Anakin's initial training and the battles with the Yuuzhan Vong. "If only he knew just how intelligent and powerful he is," Luke though as he sat down on the cold stone floor. He forced his mind not to wander and focused upon the arrival of Han and Leia. He closed his eyes and looked out into the universe. As his eyes closed the room, the temple, the planet was ripped apart from his vision, and it centered on a ship. It was Daloorian Class 3 Transport. He ripped apart the outer vision of the ship and looked further. Luke was startled to see a young boy, Jacen's or Anakin's age. Beside him was an older woman, controlling the ships landing.   
Luke smiled. He reached out further, but strained to do so. Coming in from behind, about one day away was the Millenium Falcon. Anakin had been wrong about their arrival date and time, but they were coming. He must have sensed the male and female aboard the Daloorian Transport and put two and two together. "Smart boy," Luke thought.  
He ended his meditation and collapsed with breathed heavily for a minute. Now it was time to think. Who was this new child coming? Was he or the older woman a jedi? Perhaps, it was she, but no; it couldn't be, not now. He could reach out again and check. If it were, Leia would be in for more than one surprise.  
  
Mark Wailgoor smiled showing all his gleaming teeth. He was a handsome young man. Tall and strong, he relied on his charm and smile to get him where he wanted to go. But that was before he met Sidious. He had been a mere boy then, just trying to get by. His selfish mother had abandoned him after killing a man who she had been an accomplice of in a robbery. She kept all the money and got rid of everything that wasn't a "necessity."  
Mark cringed at the thought of his mother, the thief, and the murderer. In a way, he was like her now. No, he would never admit to that. He had forgotten her. He had left his past behind. He was Sidious' servant now. Sidious was his master, and Sidious would make him a living legend, for he had once been the Emperor's Hand. He had had all the power and glory for himself, even if it was only from the Emperor's Inner Circle.  
"Vima, must you struggle? Your memory is lost, and you cannot regain it. No matter how much you try. Please continue to help me, Grandmother. The ship is almost landed. And, ah, there is Skywalker, er, Master Skywalker," Mark smiled at his victim prisoner, Vima Da Boda, who now was playing the role of his sickly grandmother.  
She did not smile back. "I am a bad person, grandson. I have failed the memory of my daughter. I remember her and that."  
"Shut up, you witch. You are my grandmother and you know no one but me. I am your faithful grandson who brings his last living yet sickly relative to trick the foolish Skywalker. Play that role!" Mark stopped himself. He was not a hateful young man. He was a kind, innocent child.  
Again, Mark's mind wandered to the past as they descended. He was reminded of the short amount of glory he had had. In fact, the Emperor had made him into a sort of elite soldier the entire Royal Guard envied. Those royal guards, though loyal, were nothing compared to him! However, they had come in useful once.   
The ship had landed and Skywalker stood to greet them in with a sort of grin upon his face. Mark grimaced but quickly righted his mouth's shape as the door opened and he walked down the steps to be greeted by his enemy. Skywalker stared with a look of surprise on his face as Vima Da Boda also glided down the narrow steps the door supplied.   
"Oh no," Mark bit his lip as he thought, "What if he knows her?"  
  
Luke continued to gaze upon the wrinkled form that was Vima Da Boda. He saw her die, so how could she be alive now? Questions and theories raced through his head as he attempted to figure things out. Then he prepared to use his Jedi skills to learn who she was. He felt out into the force and...  
"Wait, Master Skywalker! You seem surprised at the appearance of my grandmother!"  
"Yes, I am," Luke said, watching the young man stare blankly at him, as if thinking quickly. Luke began again, "Yes, your grandmother helped me and the other jedi defeat a terrible power before. She died there, saving me, but she looked much better then."  
Mark was confident now as he spoke, "She hasn't spoken since then, so I could not have known of your involvement with her. However, I assure you that she did not die, but she had the force sucked out of her. Recently she has accumulated a curious virus, which is supposed to wear the body away to nothing. As you can see, it is doing its job well."  
Mark inwardly smiled at Luke's believing response. "Clever, really," he thought, "It's like killing two birds with one stone. The virus that she does have will kill her and since she's a clone, my force-sucking ruse will work also. She'll be out of the way, and my goal has a chance of being accomplished. Well, she will pay the price for rivaling the workings of Sidious."  
"So, have you come to study the force?" Luke asked.  
"For a short while. An old master taught me the basics and some clever tricks. Besides, my grandmother wants to live out her last days with what she once was, a jedi," Mark surprised himself with his own clever answers. He decided to pursue the conversation, "I once knew a Kyp Durron. Do you know where I can find him?"  
Luke lifted a graying eyebrow; "He's off-planet right now."  
"Yes that's what I heard, but as I'm incapable of locating a person through the force, I seek your guidance."  
"So you've come here to learn one technique?"  
"In a word, yes."  
"Very well, we will start tomorrow morning. It should not take more than a week to guide you through the entire process. You must rest. I will take you to your..."  
"Who are these people, uncle?" a voice spoke quietly, strong and gruff in the dark.  
"Good evening, Jacen. I believe I told you to rest before the rehearsal for the ceremony next Monday. It will involve not only memory but also several force techniques," Luke glared at Jacen. He wanted the first graduation ceremony to be a success and a tradition.   
"Don't worry, Master Skywalker," Mark muttered, "I'll tell him. It's no bother. My name is Mark Wailgoor. This is my grandmother, Vima Da Boda. She is dying, and I wish to keep her here in her last days."  
Jacen glared at Mark. The cold stare gave Mark the shivers, and he got the impression that this young man was looking through him. Jacen suddenly smiled and turned around. As he began walking away he yelled back, "One lie can give it all away, Mark!"  
And then, Mark shuddered as a voice inside his head, as if someone was talking to him, ripped through all other thoughts, "Or should I call you the Servant of Sidious, Son of Evil?"  
  
  
3  
  
  
"Are you sure, Forge?" Gavin's intercom crackled as the rocky area disrupted the signal.  
"Positive. I saw Chung hit the surface. He can't have made it."  
"Let's check, just in case..." Gavin's voice faded as Forge appeared in front of him.   
"Negative, Gavin. He's dust. I saw the X-Wing explode. There are six of us now, counting you. Yep, it's just me, you, Lapard, Rusiim, Farsik, and..." Forge stopped as a tall, muscular figure appeared through a breeze of dust.  
"Me. Corran Horn, Two from Stick's Flight Two Group. Lapard and Rusiim will be here in a minute. Their starfighters are beyond repair, so we'll have to contact the New Republic to get out of here," Corran said.  
Gavin grimaced at the info, "No can do. We can't bring the New Republic into this massive station. Our job is to destroy it, even if it means we go down with it. Just then, Farsik Navwarra, a Twi'lek, trudged up the slope. He spoke in rusty basic, "The fighter's O.K., but unfortunately, the engine's not. It won't get me past Agamar, and I've got another problem. The stronghold they've got down there has snipers posted everywhere and security cameras and drone guns coming out their ears."  
It was no use asking how Navwarra got this information. Everyone on Rogue Squadron knew Navwarra was not only a natural pilot, but also a humanoid binocular system. His eyesight reached farther than the best sniping camera, and this had come in useful several times before, forget the present. Gavin pursed his lips with frustration as he though of a strategy. Rusiim and Lapard had already arrived by the time he spoke again, "We can't take on an entire fortress, especially not if they're taking such careful precautions. I think we'll just have to steal some fuel, capture a few repairmen, and then run for cover."  
"Shall I bring Sidious's Christmas present with me, boss?" Forge smirked at Gavin.  
"Sounds good, Forge. Hopefully, Pacem Mountain won't know what hit it, and we'll be too far away to make it out. Well, let's get going. Meet at the base of the mountain at dawn. Until then, sleep, relax, and get ready for combat," Gavin breathed finally at the end of his briefing.  
"Sorry, Lead, the base isn't good. They have a bunker there, and they're probably expecting us to show up there," Farsik was as usual, grim with news.  
Gavin grimaced. What was going on? Expecting us? Who would be waiting for a group of officers who were presumed dead after half of the squadron had been eliminated? And why was Corran so quiet?  
Corran suddenly smiled at Gavin. Damn. There he goes again, reading my mind. If only he'd quit that.  
"Sorry, old friend. I couldn't help overhearing. You looked troubled, so naturally, it's almost impossible to overlook nervous thoughts. I have a better idea for the meeting place. How about the peak? And lay low when you get there. I don't want any casualties more than what we already have. You agree, Lead?" Corran nodded to Gavin.  
Gavin knew Corran was acknowledging Gavin's superiority and rank by calling him his code name, so his invasion of privacy was overlooked. Gavin suddenly heard a voice in his head. Follow me after everyone leaves. You have to know something. Gavin's grimace only became more pronounced as his remaining teammates trudged down the hill, quietly and without hesitation. They had sensed the need for privacy.  
"So, what's going on, Horn? Why were you so tense back there?"  
"The Dark Side is here, Gavin. I can feel it. Someone knows we're here and has awakened the entire base. We got to move fast, or Rogue Squadron will be a thing of the past."  
Gavin got the chills as Corran's voice dropped to a whisper. "God, man! Must you talk like that? It gives me the willies. Listen, Corran. If they know we're hear, why aren't we dead already?"  
"He's playing with us. We're just pawns in some game he's playing. There's no hope of tricking him. He knows our every move, except if we..."  
"He who?" Gavin exclaimed, frightened and cold suddenly.  
"I don't know, Lead, but he's smart, and I'm willing to bet Whistler that he's using us to get to Skywalker. It's a good spy's first rule when dealing with a large organization. Get rid of the big fish first," Corran wrapped the flightsuit's overcoat tighter around himself, "But forget that. We have to get back and get some rest. Oh, and bundle up, it's awfully cold out there.   
Gavin smiled at Corran's ability to deal with impossible situations rationally. He watched Corran wave and walk away before he checked his heat tracking system for spies or snipers. When he turned back around, Corran had disappeared into the mist.  
  
"One, this is Two. I'm in. Their Lead trusts me."  
"Good job, Two. One by one, they will die. This group is too much of a problem to keep until the revolution. If they are allowed to continue, then our Master will fail."  
"I understand, One. I will do my best. However, I believe, we will have more problems than this group on our hands."  
"I don't understand, Two. What are you talking about..."  
The hologram immediately flickered and died.   
  
  
  
  
  
9  
  
  
1  
  
  



End file.
